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Well, that was quickly resolved.
Amid the fury unleashed by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families, President Benigno Aquino III ordered the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to stop the random physical inspection of balikbayan boxes.
“Aquino, at the same time, told the BOC to ‘establish a more defined protocol’ to clamp down balikbayan boxes that are being used for smuggling,” report Nestor Corrales and Ben O. de Vera on Inquirer.net.
In an interview with the Inquirer on Mon night, Aug 24, Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Cesar Purisima, read Aquino’s instructions to the BOC, which falls under the DOF.
In order to make sure that the balikbayan boxes are not subject to unauthorized tampering, Aquino instructed the BOC to do the following:
1. There will be no random or arbitrary physical inspection of balikbayan boxes.
2. All containers of balikbayan boxes should undergo mandatory X-ray and K-9 examination at no cost to the sender or OFW.
3. Only in cases where there are derogatory findings in the X-ray or K-9 examination that there will be a physical examination.
4. In the event of a physical inspection, the bureau will request an Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) representative or a designative officer of an OFW association to be present with provisions for CCTV monitoring of the inspection areas.
Those who violate the directive would be prosecuted and punished.
The order further stated: “We encourage the public to submit videos and photographic evidence of illegal acts to the Commissioner of Customs.”
The president’s statement, however, falls short on saying anything about the importation duties and value added tax that the Customs commissioner has said he wants to impose on the contents of the boxes.
Photo: Pinoyhood.com
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